"Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another."
From Bro. Raymond.
DEAR BRETHREN AND SISTERS: The goodness of God to us, has been, and is still, very great: he cares for his children. "The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers." Praise his name!
I readily concede the truthfulness of the position taken by the brethren in regard to the seven churches, and that the remnant constitutes the Laodicean church. But I do not wish to merely bow a theoretical assent to this truth; but to let it have its designed effect on my heart. As cutting and humiliating as the testimony to the Laodicean church is, it is not clothed in any too strong language to be applied to me, and, so far as I am acquainted, to the remnant in this vicinity. It will not do to trifle with this testimony, nor pass it lightly by, if we would evade the direful result of being spued out of the mouth of the Lord. May the Lord help us to be zealous and repent. The true and faithful Witness says, "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot." We learn from this passage of holy writ, that it is by our works that our true condition is known. Will it not be known by our works when we have complied with the requisitions contained in the admonition to the Laodicean church? Verily it will. The Lord help me and all his children to be zealous and repent, and that forthwith; for soon the Sanctuary will be cleansed, the mercy-seat become inaccessible, and then it will be too late.
The redemption of God's people is drawing very near. The signs of the times are portentous of solemn events, even the time of trouble such as never was, and the coming of the dear Saviour; but, dear brethren and sisters, we are not in darkness, that the day of Christ's coming should overtake us as a thief in the night. While darkness covers the earth, and gross darkness the people, a halo of light shines around our pathway, enabling us to descry the coming storm of divine wrath, which, in its devastating march, will soon pass through the earth, laying the land desolate, and destroying the sinners out of it. Solemn scene! Alas! who will be found in a waiting posture, having on the wedding garment?
Dear brethren and sisters, we are fast approximating the time when the transition of God's people from mortality and corruption, to immortality and incorruption, will take place. Then the trials and afflictions, pains and sufferings, sins and adversities, to which we have been incident in this life, will mar our peace no longer. Then the sleeping saints will join in the glorious pean, O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? Then will the sleeping saints experience the verification of the promise found in Hosea: "I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues, O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from my eyes." No repentance then.
Glorious scenes are soon to dawn on the pure in heart. And while we are in this dark and benighted world, it becomes us to live a prayerful and vigilant life; for Satan and all his votaries are conspiring to deceive and destroy, if it were possible, the very elect. The Lord save us from his illusive snares.
I feel, for one, to heed the admonition to the Laodicean church; for I have been permitted, in a measure, to slake my thirsty soul from salvation's fount; and I therefore have no disposition to stop and quaff from the turbid streams of earth.
"Well may you have courage, your cause is the Lord's,
Attested by signs, and with Scripture accords;
And though all the pow'rs of the dragon assail,
The truth, it is mighty, 'will surely prevail."
Yours seeking for immortality.
J. W. RAYMOND.
Wheeler, N. Y., May 17th, 1857.